Symphonic female power in the An.Ton.Hören school concert

As part of the International Bruckner Festival Linz 2023, we invite students aged 14 and over to a special kind of An.Ton.Hören school concert focusing on two outstanding yet little-known female composers of the 19th century: Louise Farrenc and Emilie Mayer. The latter was celebrated in Berlin as the "female Beethoven", but had to prove herself in the male-dominated musical world: "What female forces, forces of the second order, are capable of - that is what Emilie Mayer achieved and gave again." Louise Farrenc also ventured into a terrain in Paris that was actually reserved for men and devoted herself entirely to her vocation as a composer, teacher and scientist throughout her life. Without allowing themselves to be distracted by the conventions of the time, both even devoted themselves to the supreme orchestral discipline of the symphony, developed their individual tonal language and left behind an extensive body of work. The celebrated original sound orchestra Le Cercle de l'Harmonie, under the direction of its conductor Jérémie Rhorer, will perform two pieces by these unjustly almost forgotten women in the Great Hall of the Brucknerhaus Linz: Farrenc's virtuoso Overture No. 1 in E minor and Mayer's dramatic Symphony No. 7 in F minor.

Excerpts from:

Louise Farrenc (1804-1875)

Overture No. 1 in E minor, op. 23 (1834)

Emilie Mayer (1812-1883)

Symphony No. 7 in F minor (1855-56)

Le Cercle de l’Harmonie

Jérémie Rhorer | Conductor

In addition to the concert visit, we offer free preparatory workshops that allow an age-appropriate and active access to the musical programme of the concert. If you are interested, please contact us by e-mail at  education@liva.linz.at.